Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL)

As the state agency responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families, DECAL relies on an integrated suite of custom apps, known as KOALA, to manage its various operations. The most recent enhancement, KOALA Provider Self-Service, is a web-based, mobile-ready app allowing child care providers to perform many self-service functions. Online self-service options make it easier for child care providers to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements. They also automate and streamline workloads for DECAL workers.

The accompanying Quality Rated website at http://qualityrated.org immediately displays operational data that child care providers update themselves using the KOALA Provider Self-Service app. The website makes it quick and easy for parents to search for providers near them, compare service offerings from multiple providers, and access licensing information about providers.

KOALA Provider Self-Service has significantly streamlined provider interactions with DECAL. With 98 percent of providers now paying their licensing fees online or with their mobile devices, collections through the app totaled $672,000 in 2017. Providers also use the app to submit and track their Comprehensive Background Check applications and to print licensing certificates. Offering providers a self-service option for criminal background checks not only makes the process easier for them, it has helped DECAL avoid $690,000 in administrative costs.

The app keeps providers informed about the status of their interactions with DECAL in real-time through online updates and automated emails. The app generated over 325,000 emails to providers in 2017.

DECAL has been recognized by one of the nation’s leading experts in early childhood development for its use of research data to inform program and policy decisions, and DECAL relies on its suite of KOALA apps to collect and analyze data relating to child care and early education needs.